One with the Stars in his Paws
by Amph and Ateriole
Summary: This story brings back many of your favorite characters, such as Ravenpaw and Skyclan, as well as add many new ones. It focouses on a lone cat called Starfury, and his journey, as well as Echosong, and how her journey crosses his.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is a story both Ateriole and I (Amph) are working on, but as Ateriole can't get onto the site ATM, I'm posting. I just want to say first off, we do not own Warriors or any of its characters. I would also like to say that we hope you enjoy this! :) So please, read and review. Negative review accepted, how else do you learn to improve?! Note- the time setting is supposedly just after the end of the Power of Three series.

* * *

Chapter 1

In the misty glow of a secret passageway, whispers of ancient dreams and prophesies echoed, traveling trails of light to and from the damp walls. Protecting the cavern, a magnificent shimmering waterfall sent drops of water trickling in to the stone foundation. Though the cave was not very large and the rushing water resounded in a loud echo, it could not drown out the voices of cats left in the past, though their secrets were caged in the stone of the cavern walls. A cat still kept from the past, sat on the cool stones eyes closed, ears intently listening to the stories from the past. Stories that may well help preserve the future of her clan.

She sat quietly hoping for the voices to join, as they always would to speak. Each was its own whisper, but one voice. Every hair on her pelt stood on end, as the voices washed over her in prophecy.

Gradually, she saw another cat, pelt the color of an early night sky with a dark midnight blue marking. A falling star…

"Echosong!" another voice jerked her from her vision. Patiently, the she-cat opened her eyes and turned to the cat who called her name.

"What is it Gleampaw?"

The small younger she-cat answered quickly, "One of the kits fell while trying to climb atop the nursery!"

"Mousedung!" Echosong spat. "What possesses them to do such things? It was Squirrelkit wasn't it?" Before Gleampaw could answer, Echosong swept past her towards the nursery.

Pebblefrost was anxiously licking Squirrelkit when Echosong arrived. "Get off me! I'm fine!" The kit was shrieking, but the worried queen wouldn't let her up.

"Pebblefrost," Echosong said softly," I can't look at Squirrelkit, if you're on top of her." The white grey dappled queen scrambled off, letting the kit up. She promptly pounced over to the medicine cat. "Hi, Echosong!"

"Hello," the medicine cat stared at the kit.

"What's up?" Squirrelkit did not seem at all disturbed by Echosong's reaction.

"Squirrelkit," she began, trying to sound as stern as she could, "Do you realize what kind of danger you just got yourself into?"

The kit tried to be polite; rather than ignoring the question, she answered weakly, "The kind where you die?"

Echosong nodded, "Yes. Like pigs, we don't fly. And attempting to do such a thing will make you go all the way to Star clan." She turned her head to point her nose to the stars. She looked back at the now very subdued kit. "Do you understand?"

"Yes Echosong," Squirrelkit said quietly, then turned and padded back to the nursery.

"Thanks Echosong," said Pebblefrost, and she followed her kit.

As soon as the two were gone, Echosong went straight back to the whispering cave hoping to see the rest of the vision. She didn't know why, but she desperately wanted to see his face. But, though she waited all day, the whispers never joined.

* * *

A lone cat dragged himself down a narrow ravine. Cliffs rose sharply to either side of him, yet he could smell other cats. They would help, if only he could make it to them in time. At least he hoped they would. His pale grey-blue coat was now a dull brown from the mud and dirt caked to it which he was too tired to wash off.

'Maybe,' he thought, 'maybe they wouldn't drive him off this time. Maybe he'd finally have a home. Maybe…' but he wasn't really hopeful. He glanced up at the blazing sun. A full sun, to be followed by a full moon tonight. He sighed and trudged on. He just had to find those cats.

* * *

The sunset made the barn appear blood red, triggering memories from a pitch black cat's past. A bloody battle. Tigerclaw's ravenous appetite for the blood of his clan mates. Scourge's thirst for blood. The blood of a tyrant which would never be forgotten. He lingered outside on the grass, and turned his gaze to the stars. Strangely, he had had a vision. Uncommon for cats who were not trained in the, mysterious ways of Starclan. His vision had emphasized an unproven journey. And for once he now knew. This was his time. Finally, after a long awaited sign, he would return. He saw two cats, one pale grey like an early dawn, the other a darker grey-blue. As they turned as if to lead him towards the setting sun, he saw a dark blue star on the tom's pelt. Then, the two faded, leaving only the starry footprints of the tom, which faded away in time.

"Ravenpaw!" he heard his good friend call, "Come on! It's getting dark. Come inside."

* * *

"Look! The only reason I helped Wildflower was because she was kitting and if I had moved her she might not have made it," a ginger tom with black stripes meowed, trying to keep himself calm."Yeah right!" another tom who seemed to be a rival of the prior's, scoffed. "You gave her something nasty and now her mate Frogleg is complaining that it was me that gave it to her!" he finished with an emphatic snarl.

"Well, why didn't you tell him that I gave it to her and that it saved her life?!!"

"Unless it happens on Marshclan territory, it is none of my business!"

"Even if it means that a cat that was dying was saved by another clan's medicine cat? That's a pretty self-centered approach, Rushtail!"

"Who knows what you gave her? She's in my den coughing and wheezing!"

"It'll wear off! It's just a side-effect…," Flamestripe shrugged.

"Side-effect of what?!"

"Oh, just some herb I was testing."

"And you couldn't have given her a normal herb, why?'

"I wanted to see if it worked on cats."

"You hadn't even tested it?!!!"

"Of course I did. On a mouse."

"WHAT??!!"

"Both of you stop it!" Flamestripe's deputy Floodrain yowled at the top of her lungs to be heard.

"But he's trying to poison my cats again!" Rushtail protested. Floodrain growled at him, and he backed away. She wasn't Shorestar's deputy for nothing. She whirled on her smug looking medicine cat.

"Why are you experimenting again?"

"Well...I..," he stammered.

"No more. I've told you a hundred times- no experimenting. One of these days you're going to bring shame on all of Waveclan."

Grumbling, Flamestripe turned away, though not before gingerly picking up an unidentified bundle. Floodrain must not have seen him because she turned from him and headed towards Shorestar's den. The Waveclan leader seemed to have been expecting her.

"Hello, Floodrain. Any news that won't utterly bore me?" the tortoiseshell tom asked wryly.

"Well you might like to know that our medicine cat is doing more experiments and has tested one on an unaware Marshclan queen who happened to be kitting in our camp."

"What are the side-effects this time?" Shorestar winced.

"Um. Coughing and wheezing, Shorestar."

"Maybe we should exile this medicine cat…"

"You can't be serious, Shorestar! You cannot punish a medicine cat!" Floodrain reminded him.

"Mousedung."

* * *

A ragged, stone-colored cat sat alone among the jagged formations of partially eroded rocks and the calm pools that reflected the moonlight upon his face. He frowned at one of the pools, rippling due to an outside disturbance. Turning to the cave's entrance, he called, "Send in Stormfur and Brook!"

He turned back to wait in the peaceful stillness. Suddenly, it was shattered by jabbering sounds, and he was being poked by many paws. The Stoneteller spun around cheerily. "Hello Pond, Falls, Sea. What are you doing?"

Sea padded forward in a most dignified manner, which was uncharacteristic of a kit. "We want to know what the fuss is all about!" he mewed loudly.

Pond left Falls' side and calmly apologized for Sea's obnoxious behavior.

"And what about you, Falls?" the Stoneteller asked kindly, but the third kit shrank back, unspeaking.

At that moment, Stormfur and Brook swept into the cave. Within seconds, Brook had rounded up all of her kits, and was standing next to Stormfur. "What is it Stoneteller?"

"I have received a message for you. You are to follow the black star."

"A black star?" Stormfur asked. "What is that?"

"I do not know, but that is the message."

When the two cats left Stoneteller and their kits were nestled safely in the bedding within the cave, Brook turned to Stormfur, worry written all over her face.

"Does this mean we have to leave the Tribe?" she whispered, holding in her fears of the journey. Stormfur did not nod, but calmly answered his mate, "Perhaps, but only for a short time."

Brook looked down at the sandy colored rock beneath her, "We will have to leave Pond, Falls, and Sea. Won't we?"

Stormfur admired her understanding of the danger involved in the trek and how the two of them could not expose their kits to that danger.

"Yes. It would be too dangerous…"

Behind him, hidden in the bushes and moss, Sea sat listening. So his parents were going to leave. Well, Sea was just going to have to come along.

* * *

The Thunderclan medicine cat sat hunched beside his brother, inside of his den. His extra keen ears picked up every irate word Brambleclaw yowled at Squirrelflight. So many horrible accusations, and yet the ginger queen didn't fight back.

"I always thought things were strange around those three's birth, but I trusted you! You could have told me; I wouldn't have cared. I still would have cared for them like they were mine. But instead, you lied to me. and now your sister's twisted daughter had shamed the entire clan! Why?! Answer me!"

Jayfeather winced as he felt Squirrelflight's head jerk to the side under the force of Brambleclaw's blow. Brambleclaw didn't wait for her to recuperate. As he dealt her another blow, Squirrelflight collapsed onto the ground, her heart seeming more intact than her body. When Brambleclaw sighted Firestar, it was much too, late.

"Brambleclaw!"

The dark tabby tom looked past his leader, as if trying to reassure himself that this was a nightmare he could wake up from.

"Brambleclaw!" Firestar meowed sharply. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Don't go there!" the deputy hissed. "You know very well, what has caused this!" The tom moved towards Firestar menacingly, with dangerous passion.

"Your daughter," he yowled, "is a crowfood-eating liar! She has broken not only the warrior code, but also the code of confidence between mates!" Hurt filled Brambleclaw's eyes. "She lied to me," he mewed barely above a whisper, "and she lied to you, both her leader and her own father!" He stole a hateful glance at the worn out shadow of Squirrelflight. The she-cat didn't even look up, though she heard every word and felt every thorn. The ginger tabby finally spoke up, her voice soft and mournful.

"Firestar, I'll leave. Maybe that will make up for my past mistakes. Please Firestar, let me leave."

"No!" her father said. "I've already lost your sister. I won't lose you. Go to Jayfeather." Firestar swiveled to return to his den, only to find Brambleclaw blocking his path.

"Only one of us can stay." The dark tom hissed. With that, he stalked out of the camp.

* * *

n\a- Alright! Hope you like it so far. If so, Review! Please tell us! If not, review anyway! What don't you like? What do we need to change?


	2. The Gatherings

Starfury dragged himself along, barely able to stand. The cats were nowhere to be seen. 'Probably all at their gathering…' he thought as he glanced up at the shining disk hanging above, among the warriors of Starclan.

The silver-blue tom continued his painful treck, as the moon reached its zenith. Suddenly, his keen ears heard loud mews. Cats! With returned energy, he trudged on. Soon, he could see a ring of cats, surrounding a tall rock. If he hadn't been so tired, he would have thought it was a rather tiny gathering, but that thought was beyond his pain-fogged mind's reach. Stumbling forwards, he came to the circle. Luminous eyes glowed and snapped at him, shining with the moonlight. Many backs arched menacingly, but Starfury was far too used to that after all these years.

Yet, one wasn't hostile. Starfury could feel compassion coming off this pale grey cat in waves. With the last of his energy, he made it to her feet before collapsing. "Please…. Help me…." He saw the cat's jaw move, but couldn't hear, as the darkness clouded over his eyes.

The leader stood on Skyrock, gazing down at the calming flood of cats surrounding him. "Skyclan, I greet you all with curiosity!" the tom bellowed. "Any news that you would like to share with your clan?" He looked around for any volunteers. Pebblefrost looked up at the leader and mewed "Yes. Squirrelkit once again tries to climb the nursery. Now the top has caved in fully, so we need some strapping your toms to fix it." The leader acknowledged her with a nod, then meowed "Craneflight, Umberheart, can I trust you with this?" The two toms nodded respectfully.

As the leader looked around a second time, Echosong slowly stood up. She was not the cat for public address, and could feel every hair on her pelt with extreme acuity, but it was her turn. "I have news!" She meowed, louder than she'd thought she would suprising even herself. Some cats even shrank back in surprise at this unusual display of bravery. She looked back at Gleampaw and continued, "I think it's time that I instate my apprentice, Gleampaw, as a full-fledged medicine cat!" Gleampaw looked up at her mentor, delighted surprise showing in her warm blue eyes. "She has learned all that a good medicine cat must, and has been a valuable help to me. From this time forth, she will be known as Gleamfrost." All of the other cats cheered for their friend and new medicine cat. "Gleamfrost, Gleamfrost, Gleamfrost!"

Echosong glanced around. Something was strange. It was as if something was arriving. Her gaze fell on a cat, desperately dragging himself towards them. His coat was caked with mud and what looked horrifyingly like blood to the point where she could no longer see the pelt's color. His head drooped, and his back leg dragged, twisting even worse than it already was as it jolted over a jagged rock. The cheering died as he entered the circle, replaced with hostility towards this nitruder. Only, Echosong didn't feel anger. She was filled with pity for this poor, wreched cat. Before the leader could say anything, the cat dragged himself to Echosong, and whispered, "Please…. Help me….", then suddenly passed out at her feet.

* * *

Ravenpaw sat in a hold just large enough for the black tom at the top of the barn. He had always loved it up here. Back in the days after he had fled Thunderclan, he had sat up here and watched the far off Windclan cats hunt and patrol. But now, there were no more cats to watch… Only twolegs and their monsters… All the clans had left on their great journey.

Now, the loners eyes weren't aimed at the expanse of two leg nests, they were opinting upwards, towards the brilliant moon. He always came here on the full moon, in memory of the clan gatherings. Ravenpaw missed his old life, but he couldn't return. For one thing, he didn't know the way. But, he couldn't leave Barley… Though, considering this current crisis, even that was in question now… If only he knew his way…

* * *

"Flamestripe! I want to talk to you!"

"Why, hello Rushtail. That queen's stopped coughing by now, I'd expect. True?"

"She- I- er- That's besides the point! I'm going to claw your tail off!"

"Not at a gathering, you're not."

"But the kit!"

"Is safe. I observed no side effects on the mouse's young."

"Well, they didn't have fur, now did they!"

"YOU TWO, BREAK IT UP!" Floodrain yowled. "How many times do I have to go through this! You'll both turn my fur full grey before Shorestar looses another life! GO!" The two cats separated, though with many disgruntled looks.

Marshclan's leader stood up in front of the congregated cats. She mewed sedately, "Marshclan would like to report that we have had a new kit…" she paused as her medicine cat whispered in her ear. "And apparently the kit will be called Grasskit; since the kit-" she broke it down into syllables, as if unsure of what she was saying "is-green." Bewildered mews resounded in a unanimous chorus of "GREEN!" _ simply nodded. "Green."

Rushtail mumbled defiantly with a pointed look at Flamestripe, "Green." Flamestripe responded with a shrug. "It was the will of starclan," he whispered, which made Rushtail even more irritated. Under his breath, he added "Awesome! I wouldn't have imagined such a side effect! Now, which herb was that again…" He was promptly cuffed upside the head by Floodrain, who had heard him.

Shorestar sighed to himself as a still confused _ finished her report, and turned to look at him. Why, oh why, did that idiot of a medicine cat have to have chosen to be in his clan… He could have stayed a loner. He couldn't even swim that great anyways, so *why* HIS clan! He stepped forwards. "We in Waveclan fare well, and have nothing to report. We would, however, like to extend our apologies for the actions of our **mousebrained** medicine cat."

_ nodded gravely. "The apology is accepted, but if anything like this happens again, waveclan and marshclan may have to split apart from each other for the first time since we were driven from our old homes. We have wandered together ever since, and I would not like to lose that companionship now.

* * *

Stormfur padded over to Brook, carrying part of an eagle in his powerful jaws. Brook looked up and purred with pleasure. "Who do I thank this time?"

Stormfur motioned towards a group of muscular toms. "Them," he mewed sadly. "I was busy getting travelling herbs from Stoneteller."

"Brook's eyes widened in alarm and in a sudden dreaded realization. "Oh yes," she mewed, half to Stormfur, "The journey."

"Stormfur nodded. "We can leave when they kill the next eagle," he mewed. As soon as the words were said, the same group of toms set out again to kill that one not-wanted prey.

"You're mousebrained, Sea!"

"Keep your voice down, Pond!"

Pond repeated her statement, only quieter. "You're completely mousebrained!"

"No, I'm not. You don't want Stormfur and Brook to leave, right?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"And they're still leaving, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"As soon as this next eagle comes in, right?"

"They are, but-"

"Then we just have to follow them!"

"And what about food! We can't get traveling herbs like they did."

"We'll just eat a lot. Then we'll catch an eagle later."

"WHAT!"

"It can't be that hard. Come on, Falls! Back me up!"

The smaller kit shrank back, shaking his head.

Brook gazed sadly at the dead eagle. Usually, she would have loved the sight of this bird. It was wonderfully plump, and smelled delicious. But to the hearttorn tabby, it was only a sign of extreme sadness. She would have to leave her kits now… At least they would be safe- no tribe cat lived in fear since her mate's sister had died killing Sharptooth. Stormfur nudged Brook, who looked into his eyes. They were full of pain, yet hope of what this journey would bring. "It's time…" he mewed softly. She nodded and both cats left the comfort of the shade to find Pond, Sea, and Falls. The kits were enacting an eagle hunt. Sea, of course, was the eagle, and was taunting his littermates.

"Come on, falls! Attack me! Or, maybe your _sister_ Pond can show you how." He snickered at his brother, only to get flattened from behind by Pond. When they saw their parents amused faces, they padded to join them.

"You're leaving now, aren't you?" Sea asked bluntly before his parents could speak.

Brook sighed sadly. "Yes, Sea… We have to."

Pond padded up, trailed by Falls. "You'll come back, though, won't you?" She asked sadly.

Stormfur and Brook glanced at each other. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try. Stay face, Crag will take care of you."

"Yes, mom," the two kits mewed, and Falls nodded gravely. After running the tip of her tail over each kits nose, Stormfur and Brook left through the cave's entrance, heading once again for the sun-drown place, hoping Midnight could explain what a 'dark star' was.

Stoneteller sat at the cave to the Tribe's home, watching the orb of day fall into the great sea far below. Somewhere out there, two of his cats were on a jouney, the outcome unknown, and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't move as Crag rushed up beside him. "Stoneteller! Sea, Pond, and Falls are missing!" ….hmm. make that five of his cats.

* * *

Firestar crouched outside the gathering clearing with the cats he had chosen to accompany him. It was the first gathering since his granddaughter had shamed the clan. Yet, even now, he didn't know how to handle it. This gathering would be particularly hard.

Especially without a deputy. Firestar had refused to appoint a new deputy, sure that Brambleclaw would return. Despite what he had once felt, Firestar had grown dependent on and even fond of the son of his greatest enemy. He couldn't accept that the dark tom would just leave like that. Firestar's friend, Graystripe, crouched next to him. "hey, Firestar" he mewed. "Who's to sit in the deputy spot?"

"No one." Firestar snarled. "Brambleclaw's just away. He'll be back next moon. Understood?"

Graystripe nodded silently. "Yes, Firestar."

Firestar nodded, then waved his tail at his clan. They poured into the clearing. The Thunderclan leader had brought far more warriors than usual, just in case. All the other clans were already there. As soon as Blackstar saw Thunderclan, he yowled and leapt up into the tree the leaders addressed the assembled cats from. Firestar had to hurry to join the Shadowclan leader. Once all the other cats were up, Blackstar turned to Firestar. "Would you care to begin, Firestar?" he asked smoothly. "Perhapse you have some more… revelations… you'd like to reveal."

The flame-colored leader shot the dark tom a glance, then raised his voice. "Thunderclan has only one thing to report. Our medicine cat, Jayfeather, has received a vision of a black star." He stopped and looked at Blackstar pointedly. "We are unsure of its meaning, but he was sure it would effect all the clans. That is all."

Leapardstar raised her voice next. "I know nothing of a black star, but Riverclan has a new kit to report. We have named it Ripplekit."

"We of Windclan have never heard of a dark star either, so we have nothing to report." Onestar said.

"Shadowclan does not find the opinions of a Thunderclan medicine cat worth our time to even consider listening to."Mewed Blackstar flatly. "Even if we knew anything about a black star aside from myself, we wouldn't share it with you. With any luck, whatever it is will destroy that nest of traitors and half-clan cats you are breeding in that forest. We would like, however, to announce that we have a new warrior in our clan- Brambleclaw, **former** deputy of Thunderclan." He glared triumphantly at Firestar.

There were gasps all over the clearing. Firestar closed his eyes. _No._ he thought. _ It can't be… No!_ But the truth could not be escaped- Brambleclaw was gone. It took a moment for the red warrior to realize the other leaders were jumping down- the gathering was over. He quickly followed them and found his clan waiting for him at the base of the tree. "Wait until we're back at camp." He muttered to Greystripe, and they headed out.

Back within the cliffs of Thunderclan camp, Cloudtail burst out, "I don't believe it! That traitor! That piece of mousedung! How dare he…" Firestar just let his kin's rant wash over him without hearing it. He was actually astonished his nephew had been silent this long. Jaypaw padded up beside his clan leader. "What happened?"

"Brambleclaw went to Shadowclan" Firestar heard himself say.

"Oh."

"You know, I can't help thinking that 'black star' might actually be Blackstar himself, be it for good or evil…"

"Knowing him? Evil. And, you have something to do."

"Do I?"

"You know."

Firestar sighed. He paced over to Graystripe. "Hey… Can I have a word?" he said quietly.

Graystripe nodded. "You want me to be deputy, don't you." Firestar shook his head in agreement. "Then, no. I'm sorry, but I can't. I still really don't understand inter-clan relationship. Why don't you choose Brakenfur? He would be a wise decision, I think."

Firestar considered it. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. He nodded. "thanks."

"No problem."

Firestar leapt up onto the highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!" He watched as the various arguments and discussions over Blackstar's information died off as the clan gathered before him. He had to call a specific summons to his white kin, who was still pacing and spitting in the center of the clearing to get his attention. "The time ahs come… for me to appoint a new deputy." He couldn't help but pause to collect himself before continuing "I declare before Starclan that Brackenfur will be the new deputy of Thunderclan!"

* * *

Hey everyone! Sorry for that taking so long... ALOT is going on. :/ granted, the next chapter will probably take a while too, Ateriole and I have to get together to finish writing it! :S anyways, I hope you enjoyed! You've read, now REVIEW! PLEASE! Even if you hated it, review it anyways and tell us what to work on! And, hopefully this helped it make a bit more sense, Stormhawkfan, but really, you have to have read the series and remember alot to understand fully. Idk if that was what was wrong. :/ But, yeah. Flames, grudgingly accepted. Constructive criticism welcomed, friendly advice is great, and if it's compliments, WOOT! Pile 'em on! ;P REVIEW! lol


	3. don't worry

This is just a little message to all of you out there that yes, yes I am still writing! However, life's throwing curveballs at me. I'm working on a new One Piece fanfic, doing editing/ghost writing for my brother in another One Piece fanfic, and working with him for a new My Little Pony fanfic. I'm also working on nearly 10 real stories of my own, all while doing college, working three jobs, trying to start my own business ( /shop/SpiritsOfGlass), some of the worst writer's block I've ever experienced, and having troubles with my new GF… The suspicions and habits built up over years of having unfaithful girls is biting me in the ass with a truly loyal girl. But, like I said- never fear. I AM still thinking of where to go, what to do, and what to write for Naruto and Bleach. As for Warriors, I PROMISE that work is still in progress, but Ateriole is going to a college FAR away from me, so collaboration is much more difficult… Have a good Halloween, and may there be new content for all stories by Thanksgiving!

~Amphirion


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